Denny Hamlin has weighed in on the Cup Series readiness of a few top NASCAR prospects this season, cautioning against giving them a full-time ride too early. With Jesse Love’s name popping up in NASCAR silly season rumors, Hamlin has offered his input on whether the young driver is ready for the Cup Series.
On the latest episode of Actions Detrimental, Hamlin said that he believes Love has shown enough to prove that he’s ready to race full-time in Cup.
“I think Jesse Love is good enough, I do. I’ve seen him drive enough in a Cup car, with as little experience as he has, I’ve seen enough technique wise to say yes. Jesse Love can race Cup and be competitive.”
Denny Hamlin on if Jesse Love is ready to race full-time in NASCAR Cup Series
Related: Jesse Love Rumored to Join Cup Team in 2027
That is not a stance Hamlin has taken with every young driver who is either excelling in the Truck or O’Reilly Series, regardless of their potential. Amid NASCAR rumors in April that Corey Day could be an option to replace Alex Bowman at Hendrick Motorsports in 2027, Hamlin advised against it.
The sentiment is likely similar with Joe Gibbs Racing’s development driver Brent Crews. While the 18-year-old is faring very well this season in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, it is a massive jump to Cup. The lack of experience both racing against Cup-caliber drivers and the unfamiliarity with the Next Gen car are among the reasons why Hamlin believes top NASCAR prospects should not be rushed to the top series.
Related: Joe Gibbs Racing’s Plan for Denny Hamlin’s Successor
That is not as much of an issue for Love. The 21-year-old driver competed in five Cup Series races last season and he is already done two in 2026. While his average finishing position still is not strong, it has improved year-to-year (29.0 to 27.0). Love has also demonstrated that he can avoid causing issues for top cars around him while learning on his own.
Love also has nothing left to prove in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He won the championship last year and enters the NASCAR weekend schedule at San Diego sitting second in points while ranking second in laps led (374) and third in top-10 finishes (10).
Assuming Love gets a full-time Cup Series ride in 2027, which a lot of the NASCAR silly season buzz is indicating, he will go through plenty of growing pains. However, it will also be a great opportunity for the young driver and should help him eventually establish himself as a top competitor in the series.
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